Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Houston, TX 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Houston, TX is 14.9% lower than in Chicago, IL (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Houston, TX is 18.6% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
| Rent Prices in Houston, TX are 24.9% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
| Restaurant Prices in Houston, TX are 12.0% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
| Groceries Prices in Houston, TX are 19.6% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Houston, TX is 6.1% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
Restaurants | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 21.00 $ | 20.00 $ | -4.8 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 100.00 $ | 80.00 $ | -20.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 12.00 $ | 10.00 $ | -16.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 7.00 $ | 6.00 $ | -14.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 8.25 $ | 7.00 $ | -15.2 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.67 $ | 5.50 $ | -3.0 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 3.03 $ | 2.78 $ | -8.4 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.38 $ | 2.15 $ | -9.7 % |
Markets | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 4.09 $ | 3.46 $ | -15.2 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.64 $ | 2.76 $ | -24.2 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.49 $ | 1.59 $ | -36.2 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 4.61 $ | 4.16 $ | -9.8 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 6.68 $ | 5.80 $ | -13.1 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.72 $ | 5.50 $ | -18.2 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 8.74 $ | 7.84 $ | -10.3 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.42 $ | 1.89 $ | -21.9 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.80 $ | 0.62 $ | -22.4 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.91 $ | 1.78 $ | -7.0 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.01 $ | 1.16 $ | -42.2 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.17 $ | 1.29 $ | +10.4 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.28 $ | 1.06 $ | -17.1 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.49 $ | 1.82 $ | -27.1 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.62 $ | 2.20 $ | -16.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 15.00 $ | 12.95 $ | -13.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 2.42 $ | 2.00 $ | -17.6 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 3.95 $ | 3.78 $ | -4.4 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 16.44 $ | 10.00 $ | -39.2 % |
Transportation | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.50 $ | 1.25 $ | -50.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 75.00 $ | 75.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 3.25 $ | 2.91 $ | -10.5 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.25 $ | 2.31 $ | +2.7 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 25.00 $ | 24.00 $ | -4.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 4.01 $ | 2.88 $ | -28.3 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 31,965.00 $ | 32,500.00 $ | +1.7 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 26,598.85 $ | 25,462.48 $ | -4.3 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 189.41 $ | 196.65 $ | +3.8 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 63.41 $ | 61.40 $ | -3.2 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 66.92 $ | 65.52 $ | -2.1 % |
Sports And Leisure | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 71.19 $ | 38.91 $ | -45.3 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 13.12 $ | 10.83 $ | -17.5 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 15.00 $ | 15.00 $ | 0.0 % |
Childcare | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 2,056.25 $ | 1,258.33 $ | -38.8 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 39,114.29 $ | 25,600.00 $ | -34.6 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 63.65 $ | 46.39 $ | -27.1 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 49.23 $ | 44.22 $ | -10.2 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 95.11 $ | 98.13 $ | +3.2 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 143.89 $ | 123.29 $ | -14.3 % |
Rent Per Month | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,309.62 $ | 1,655.57 $ | -28.3 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,585.00 $ | 1,274.27 $ | -19.6 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 4,643.75 $ | 3,122.73 $ | -32.8 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,739.58 $ | 2,416.46 $ | -11.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 320.76 $ | 246.68 $ | -23.1 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 230.28 $ | 180.01 $ | -21.8 % |
Salaries And Financing | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,263.91 $ | 4,545.68 $ | -13.6 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.62 | 6.44 | -2.6 % |
| Last update: | 23 June 2025 | 22 June 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 251 | 190 |
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Moving to Houston, TX? Explore:
Cities near Chicago, IL: | Cost of Living in Oak Park, Illinois | 9.14 miles |
| Cost of Living in Evanston, Illinois | 14.20 miles |
| Cost of Living in La Grange Park, Illinois | 15.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Franklin Park, Illinois | 16.69 miles |
| Cost of Living in Des Plaines, Illinois | 20.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Chicago, Indiana | 23.76 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wheaton, Illinois | 25.81 miles |
| Cost of Living in Arlington Heights, Illinois | 27.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bolingbrook, Illinois | 29.21 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wheeling, Illinois | 29.29 miles |
Cities near Houston, TX: | Cost of Living in Atascocita, Texas | 26.49 miles |
| Cost of Living in College Station, Texas | 94.28 miles |
| Cost of Living in Austin, Texas | 161.51 miles |
| Cost of Living in Waco, Texas | 184.46 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Antonio, Texas | 193.85 miles |
| Cost of Living in Longview, Texas | 213.57 miles |
| Cost of Living in Corpus Christi, Texas | 216.46 miles |
| Cost of Living in Dallas, Texas | 245.09 miles |
| Cost of Living in Shreveport, Louisiana | 245.18 miles |